Current Listening: Seeing A Large Cat by Elizabeth Peters
Current Reading: The Devil's Cup by Stewart Lee Allen (just finished!)
Recipe of the Day: Ghormeh Sabzi, Makaroni, Cocada, Brigadeiros, Beijinho De Coco, Passionfruit Mousse, Pav Bhaji, Peruvian Chicken Soup (Recipes from my ESOL students
Advent Calendar of the Day: Dec. 1 : Hoopla Presents - This one is cute - it looks pretty basic, but it has some nice flash animation. It says on the site that "each day contains - a happy Christmas memory, a holiday link, something special..."

I have so gotten out of the habit of writing in my journal! Yesterday, I took a one-day hiatus from writing at all. Saturday morning, I achieved my NaNoWriMo magic number of 50,000+ words! Then, I had to copy and paste all entries in to a text document and upload it to the NaNo website for count verification (I didn't think they really did that!). I then copied the lovely icon (it is somewhere here on my website!), the certificate of accomplishment, and I also received my t-shirt in the mail! Yay! Then, I wrote e-mails to a lot of people and told them what I had done. I have heard from some - it was very nice!

That afternoon, my husband and I went to see Timeline - it was lame. I knew it would be because I had read reviews, but we had both read the book, and decided to give it a go. I have also seen The Matrix. It's time for me to see a movie that I really want to see - but there are so few good movies out. I wanted to see The Station Agent, but fear that it has already moved on. I also think I want to see Bad Santa.

Speaking of The Station Agent - can I just say that Peter Dinklage is the sexiest dwarf I've ever seen? Does that make me strange? And, no, he's not cute - he's handsome! ;-)

What else? Oh, yesterday, I did all of my planting - my deck is all bedecked with flower boxes and flower pots hanging off of my balcony. I also have cute groupings of pots leading to my front door. It took an extra trip to Lowe's (and why did I have to stop by Garden Ridge? I got sucked into that black hole for over an hour - and didn't buy a thing!)to get more potting soil and plants. I was finishing up in the dark! Everything looks lovely, though - I planted pansies and snapdragons.

I still need to dispose of the excess lumber and trash from the deck repair last week. I also need to free my spiny aloe vera plant from it's babies - it's very crowded in that pot! I found that plant just before I got married - it was in the a pile of stuff left when a tenant at our apartment complex got evicted. I rescued it as a tiny plant, and it has thrived, despite being neglected, left out to freeze, unwatered - and now, smothered by its young. That's a hardy plant!

What else? Oh, I need to think about decorating the house for Christmas. This is important to do soon, as my mother, my husband, and I are going to Louisiana for the holidays. If I don't do it soon, it may not get done. We have an artificial tree we inherited from my mother, and it must be assembled and decorated. I am not sure where to put it yet! I also now have two wreathes - I will put my usual outside wreath on the door, but I fear for it's durability. Our doorway is no longer sheltered as it was at our apartment.

I have thoughts of sending out Christmas cards, and of including invites to an open house - it's been a while since I have entertained, and we haven't even had a houswarming yet. I am aiming for January 3rd - in the past, we have had Epiphany parties, with King's Cake, and I may do that early this year, since January 6th is in the middle of the week.